Doug at Hornady was nice enough to fax me some load data for my 300 H&H, I've never used Hornady bullets and don't have a manual. I'm hopeing work up some round in the morning and maybe make it to the range Sunday. But after looking their data over I've got a question for those of you who use Hornady bullets and their manual. Why is Hornady data so conservative???

Hornady list a 165gr @ 2900fps with 64gr of IMR 4350 max load.

Nosler list a 165gr @ 3118fps with 67gr of IMR 4350 max load.

Speer list a 165gr @ 3185fps with 69gr of IMR 4350
max load.

Barnes list a 165gr @ 3159fps with 69gr of IMR 4350 max load.

Sierra list a 165gr @ 3100fps with 69.1gr of IMR 4350 max load.

So what gives? Now I'm usually one to error on the side of caution and I rarely load max loads, I normally stay 1 gr below max. But the Hornady data seems weak to me. I mean we're talking 3 to 5 grains of powder less and 200fps + here. This just doesn't seem right. I know you start low and work up looking for signs of pressure. But based on this I'm tempted to start at 63 or 64gr with the Hornady and work up. Whats your experience with Hornady bullets and data?

I've found Hornady data to be conservative in some cases and not conservative in others just like the data from all the other manufacturers. Differences are due to different testing methods, different test guns, different powder batch/primer/bullets, etc., etc.

In this case I think Doug gave you only the starting load not the max. In Hornady #4 under 300 H&H Magnum for a 165 gr. bullet the starting load is 64.4 gr. of IMR 4350 (2900 fps) and max load is 70.8 (3200 fps). Actually it's the least "conservative" of the listed data.

Mal,
Thanks for the reply. But thats not the case, Doug copied a page out of the manual and faxed that to me. The copy cut off the page number and it don't have the manual no. on it either. So I went by the local gun shop this yesterday afternoon, the gun smith wasn't in, but as luck would have it he had a new Hornady manual on the counter. The fax Doug sent me is out of it. It list the 150gr sst in it. Anyway 3000fps is the max velocity listed for a 300H&H and a 165gr bullet. Thats using RL22, RL19, viht n 185 and aa3100. The starting loads are all 2500fps. The starting load for IMR 4350 is 54.2gr at 2500fps.

I know different barrels, different primers..... and I could understand 1 or 2 grains but we're talking 3 to 5 grains of powder here. I mean Speers starting load is 65gr of IMR 4350 and Hornadys max is 64gr of IMR 4350. Something about this just don't add up.

Mal,
I have, in part, found the answer to my question. It looks as if its the IMR powder that Hornady has a problem with. I was looking through my manuals again this morning and saw that Horady list Reloader 22 for the 165gr 300H&H. I also use, have some on hand and like Reloader 22. So I started compairing the numbers.

These are lister MAX. LOADS for the 300H&H with a 165gr. bullet using Reloader 22. These are MAX. LOADS USE CAUTION.

Hornady 71.8gr @ 3000fps

Nosler 72.5gr @ 3133fps

Barnes 72.5gr @ 3084fps

Speer Reloader 22 not listed

Sierra Reloader 22 not listed

So then I look at IMR 4831. Again these are lister MAX. LOADS for the 300H&H with a 165gr. bullet, USE CAUTION.

Hornady 65.8@ 2900fps

Nosler 70.0gr @ 3118fps

Barnes 70.00gr @ 31704fps

Speer 71.00gr @ 3185fps

Sierra 70.02 @ 3000fps

I then checked one more powder, Reloader 19. Again these are lister MAX. LOADS for the 300H&H with a 165gr. bullet, USE CAUTION.

Hornady 72.5@ 3000fps

Nosler 71.0gr @ 3099fps

Barnes 71.0gr @ 3181fps

Speer 67.0gr @ 3048fps

Sierra Reloader 19 not listed

So based on these numbers I'd say Hornadys data is on par with the others using Reloader powder, but when using IMR powder Hornadys data is conservative. Why I'm not sure. I wanted to use IMR 4350 powder and the 165gr SST bullet but I'm not going to give up 200+fps. Looks like with Reloader 22 I want have too. I'll start low, work up to about 1gr below max and hopfuly be happy. So now I've got some rounds to load. Thanks for your help.

That is a very strange change in their data from one manual to the next. The load listed as a minimum now becomes the maximum? I wonder what caused the turn around. Maybe some incident happened when using 4350 that didn't make the news. We are talking about the same caliber, right? 300 H&H Magnum, aka Holland Super 30, belted cartridge and all?

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